Electric lock.



No. 76?;757. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. E. B. JAGOBSON & E. BLASSER.

ELECTRIC LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1902.

NO MODEL.

W 1 SVkxdllb M \MQVASM &

UNITED STATES EDWARD B. JACOBSON, PITTSFIELD, AND ERNEST BLASSER, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Patented August 16, 1 904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,757, dated August 16, 1904. Application filed November 21, 1902. Serial No. 132,198! (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that we, EDWARD B. J ACOBSON, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire, and ERNEST BLAssER, residing at Bos-v ton, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Locks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.-

The object of our invention is to provide an improved construction of electromagnetic knob locking or detent mechanism of simple and inexpensive character which shall be strong, durable, and unlikely to become deranged or out of order' and which shall be more reliable and efficient in operation than the devices heretofore contrived or used.

The invention comprises the various features of improvement, which will first be described with reference to the'accompanying drawings and afterward will be more particularly pointed out and distinctly defined inthe claims at the close of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated the best embodiment of the invention which we have thus far contrived.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a lock having the said embodiment of our invention applied thereto, the detachable cover-plate being removed. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the cover-plate being included. Fig. 3 is a detail. view showing the hub which is applied to the knob-spindle, the armature in section, and part of the electromagnet. Fig. 4 shows a modification of the hub and armature. Fig. 5 shows a further modification of the said parts.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 desig vided at opposite sides of the latter with the lugs or projections 9 and 10, which engage with the said arm or lever 6 and operate the same in customary fashion. The knob-spindle 81 is indicated in section in Fig. 1.

11 designates the electromagnet, which is mounted within the body 1 of the case, 12 12 being the cores of the said electromagnet.

The foregoing parts are common to prior forms of electric locks and are or may be constructed and arranged as heretofore or may be of any suitable and approved construction and arrangement, save as will presently be indicated herein with respect to the hub.

Between the electromagnet and the hub we employ a movable armature which in accordance with one portion of our invention we cause to engage directly with the hub 8 for the purpose of locking the same, although this direct engagement between the armature and the hub is not essential in all cases where other portions of our invention are employed. In accordance With a second portion of our invention the armature is made sectional or divided, although except where expressly indicatedin our claims the sectional or divided construction of the armature is not essential or indispensable in allcases where direct engage ment between armature and hub takes place in accordance with the first portion of our invention. In other words, these two portions of our invention are capable of being used separately, although we consider that the best results are attained when they are combined with each other. In the present drawings "the two halves or sections of the divided or sectional armature are designated 13 13, one thereof being arranged to cooperate with one pole of the electromagnet and the other thereof being arranged to cooperate with the other pole of the latter. The two halves or sections 13 13 are separately mounted on posts 14: 14, with which the case is provided, the said posts being indicated herein as formed on the body 1 of the case. The said halves or sections 13 13 extend toward each other and interlock at their proximate portions, as by means of a projection or tooth 15 on the one entering a notch 16 in the other. Thereby the said halves or sections of the armature are geared or connected together, so that they move in unison. They are held normally pressed away from the poles of the electromagnet by means of a spring engaging therewith, preferably in the form of a coil-spring 17 the coil of which surrounds one of the posts 1 1 between the pivotal lugs of the half or section 13, which is applied to the said post, one extremity of the said spring taking bearing against a suitable abutment on the body of the case as, for instance, a projection 18*and the other extremity of the spring being in engagement with the said half or section 13. The two halves or sections 13 13 are shaped for mutual engagement and interlocking with a projection or lug 19, the latter being connected with the knob-spindle in manner to cause it to move in unison therewith, the mutual engagement of the said halves or sections with said projection or lug operating to hold the knobspindle against being turned in either direction. Herein the said halves or sections 13 13 are shown notched or rabbeted in their proximate portions to receive the said projection or lug 19, the shoulders 20 20 at the sides of the notches or rabbets engaging with the said projection or lug 19 to hold it from movement in either direction. Herein also the projection or lug 19 is shown as projecting from the hub 8. If desired, the sections or halves 13 13 of the armature may be formed with looking projections 131 131, entering a recess 191 in the hub 8 or other part moving in unison with the knob-spindle, as in Fig. 4.

We may in some cases in practice in utilizing that feature of our invention which involves, broadly, the making of direct engagement of the armature with the hub utilize a onepiece armature swinging about a pivot or post at one end thereof, as in Fig. 5. WVe prefer, however, the divided or sectional armature, inasmuch as with the latter it is wholly immaterial in which direction the knob-spindle is turned, since the thrust or pressure of the projection or lug 19 in either direction is resisted with equal security of action, the force exerted against either half or section 13 in consequence of being in a direction toward the pivotal post thereof tending to draw the said half or section more securely into engagement with lug 19. In the case of the onepiece armature pressure exerted by the said projection or lug in a direction away from the pivotal post has more or less tendency to force the free extremity of the armature in a direction away from the projection or lug, thereby tending to occasion disengagement. In the case of the one-piece armature, moreover, when such armature separates from the magnet the outer extremity thereof travels through a proportionately greater distance than points thereof which are nearer the pivotal post. Consequently when the one-piece armature is separated from the electromagnet and in its locking engagement with the part which it controls a greater distance intervenes between the outer end of the said armature and the orresponding pole of the electromagnet than between the inner end of the said armature and the other of said poles. The power exerted by the two poles of the magnet upon the armature is unequal, and

the efliciency of the magnet is reduced. In the case of the divided or sectional armature, however, since the two arms or sections are interlocked or geared together so as to move in unison through equal distances a minimum amount of movement of the armature is suflicient to disengage it entirely from the magnet. The-two halves or sections are at all times equidistant from the poles of the electromagnet, and since both sections or divisions of the armature remain in equally close proximity to the poles of the magnet the latter when excited is enabled to exert its full efliciency upon the armature.

e cup or recess the halves or sections 13 '13 of the armature of the sides thereof which are presented toward the poles of the electromagnet, the cups or recesses being designated 21 21 in the drawings. The said cups or recesses are shaped to receive the ends of the cores of the electromagnet and are just large enough to receive and cover the said ends without contact between the ends and the metal of the armature-sections. Hence when the said halves or sections 13 13 are attracted by the said poles and the sides of the said halves or sections are resting in contact with the non-conducting heads of the spools of the magnet the core ends projecting into the said cups or recesses do not enter into contact with the metal of the armature halves or sections, but are separated -therefrom by a minute amount of space-for instance, one sixty fourth of an inch. By preventing metallic contact between the armature and the ends of the cores of the electromagnet through cupping or recessing the armature in this manner to receive the ends of the poles of the electromagnet the separation of the armature from the magnet when the electric circuit including the latter is broken is facilitated. The necessary amount of movement of the halves or sections of the divided or sectional armature in passing away from the electromagnet into the locking position, where they engage with the projection or lug 19 of the hub, also is so slight as to leave the ends of the cores of the electromagnet still projecting into the cups or recesses 21 21. This keeps the halves or sections of the armature in exceedingly advantageous position within the magnetic field adjacent to the poles of the electromagnet and in addition enhances the efficiency of the magnet and armature in con sequence of the increased number of lines of force which are cut by the portions of the armature surrounding and closely adjacent to the ends of the cores of said poles.

For the purpose of bracing the posts 14 14 to enable them more reliably to withstand strain transmitted through the hub and the halves or sections of the armature one of the said posts is made of sufficient length to enable its reduced free end 141 to fit Within the hole 142 in the cover-plate 2, and the other of said posts has a hole 143 tapped inits free end to receive the screw 144, which is one of those which serve to secure the cover 2- to the body 1 ofthe case of the lock.

We claim as our invention 1. The improvement in electric locks, comprising the combination with a part moving in unison with the knob-spindle, and the electromagnet, of the divided armature having the sections or halves thereof constructed to mutually engage with the said part as described, substantially as set forth.

2. The improvement in electric locks comprising the combination with the hub, of the divided armature having its sections or halves constructed to mutually engage with the said hub, substantially as described.

3. The improvement in electric locks comprising the combination with the hub having the projection 19, of the divided armature having its sections or halves notched at their proximate ends to receive the said projection and mutually engage therewith, substantially as described.

4. The improvement in electric locks comprising the combination with the hub moving in unison with the knob-spindle, and the electromagnet, of the armature engaging directly with the said hub to lock the same, substantially as described.

5. The improvement in'electric locks comprising the combination with a part moving ture in opposition to the electromagnet, substantially as described.

6. The improvement in electric locks comprising the combination with a part moving in unison with the knob-spindle, and the electromagnet, of the divided or sectional magnet having the cups or recesses receiving the ends of the cores of the electromagnet, substantially'as described.

7. The improvement in electric locks comprising the. combination with a part moving in unison with the knob-spindle, and the electromagnet, of the divided orsectional magnet, the body of the case provided with the posts supporting the halves or sections of the said armature, and the cover bracing the said posts against transverse strain transmitted through the said halves or sections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures eachin presence of two witnesses.

EDl/VARD B. JACOBSON. ERNEST BLASSER.

\Nitnesses to signature of Edward B. J acobson:

WVILLIAM P. WooD, CHARLES H. WRIGHT.

Witnesses to signature of Ernest Blasser:

' CHAs. F. RANDALL,

WILLIAM A. COPELAND. 

